Trish Petersen
Getting to the Core: Living Inside Out
|
“I was strong in science and math, but I was also strongly compassionate and grew up doing a lot of negotiating as I tried to meld the two aspects of myself,” says Trish by way of explaining her new career and what seems like a move from left-brain to right-brain dominance.
“I completed my MSc and had a fifteen-year career in the pharmaceutical industry. When I had my children I found that the tug-of-war between my career and being there for my children just became too strong to ignore. I had to start answering the call to myself.”
The change was gradual. It started when her children entered school. Trish was fortunate and found spots for them at a school specializing in the Froebel education system. The system was founded by Friedrich Froebel who believed a child’s first learning experiences were of crucial importance in influencing both the child’s later educational achievements and by extension, the health and development of society as a whole.
“I became more interested in the system as I witnessed the results in the children at the school. Their philosophy is to develop the children to be creative, self-active individuals. I was watching my children develop as creative beings. I immediately saw the potential to apply the philosophy to adults. Eventually I made it a priority to complete a diploma from the Froebel Institute so that I could be more effective as a parent and as a volunteer at the school.”
Trish found herself edging out of her old work-life and finding ways to fill in the income gap with medical writing. In the meantime, she was thrilled to have the flexibility to allow her children to be a bigger part of her day and found herself relaxing more as she allowed the non-science side of her personality to emerge.
“I was being true to myself and feeling much more energetic and happy. As I said, I sensed that the Froebel philosophy could be helpful to adults and that I wanted to help others to be true to their dreams. I just needed a bit more time and focus to get the pieces into place.”
Trish found her focus when she learned about a series of life coaching classes being held at the University of Western Ontario. She took the six-month series, then quickly followed that up with another six months of work to complete her certification.
“It’s important to live a life that is true to yourself and live from the inside out, rather than the outside in,” says Trish. “So the first question I ask is, what is it you really want?”
We’ve become so used to cloaking our real dreams under layers of expectations that it can take a bit of work to find the answer, so Trish has clients commit to a minimum of three months of coaching. Most clients work with Trish for six months, others continue for a year and a half as they fine-tune their antennae to their inner self.
“The shifts can be subtle or move into a dramatic about-change in lifestyle as clients discover what it is they really want. For some that can mean a better job that requires going back to school, for others it can be a shift away from a career.”
Trish’s clients are people who have a nagging level of dissatisfaction in their career, health or family life. They want more of something, they just aren’t sure what that is or how to achieve it. She prefers that at least the first meeting be face-to-face, but after that the coaching can take place in a half-hour phone call each week.
“The key to my coaching is the co-activity aspect. Clients’ dreams are manifested out of the strength of the relationship that is created between me and my clients. I take them through a process of discovery and accountability, with homework that is meaningful to each client. It’s finding that place of resonance within a client that will have them taking bold steps towards a more fulfilling life.”
Trish loves to see her clients feel compelled to achieve their dreams out of love and respect of the core of who they are. “I want to help you find who you are meant to be even within your current role. Within every circumstance you can be your true self.”
I ask if Trish’s old world ever impinges on her new one.
“It will be, and that will be by design. I’m taking life coaching into pharmaceutical companies with a coaching program that will have employees embracing their own leadership potential and fostering a greater connection between the heart and head.”
If you’re ready to gain a greater connection to your dreams, give Trish a call so that you too can experience why W.N. Hailmann says, “Gifts and occupations are the living connection which makes both play and work expressions of the same creative activity.”
Written by: Gabriole Wilson |
| |
|
